European Restructuring Monitor (ERM)
Eurofound's ERM database on restructuring-related legal regulations provides information on regulations in the Member States of the European Union and Norway which are explicitly or implicitly linked to anticipating and managing change.
Collective dismissal refers to the termination of employment relationships with several employees due to economic or similar reasons. Above a certain threshold of terminations, special procedures are required to be followed in relation to information of and communication to the staff affected, notification of public authorities, and the timing and…
Before considering collective redundancies, employers have regulatory obligations to weigh up other options for their employees first. These can range from, for instance, considering alternative possible positions for these employees within the company, to the requirement to discuss the options with employee representatives.
In the case of redundancies or collective redundancies, employers must adhere to certain priority lists drafted based on factors such as seniority in selecting employees for dismissal.
Definition of collective dismissal
Effects of non-compliance with dismissal regulations
Employment protection in relation to business transfers
Public authorities information and consultation on dismissals
Rescue procedures in insolvency
Staff information and consultation on business transfers
Wage guarantee in case of insolvency
Obligation to consider alternatives to collective dismissals
Staff information and consultation on restructuring plans
Severance pay/redundancy compensation
Selection of employees for (collective) dismissals
Redundant employees entitlement to public support
Employee monitoring and surveillance
Reemployment obligation after restructuring
Employers obligation to provide skill development plans or training
Employees obligation to undertake training
Employers obligation to support redundant employees
Health monitoring of workers affected by restructuring
Eurofound's ERM database on restructuring-related legal regulations provides information on regulations in the Member States of the European Union and Norway which are explicitly or implicitly linked to anticipating and managing change. The database covers statutory rules, only, and does not include collective agreements or comany-level initiatives. The regulations are described in terms of their content, thresholds, involved actors and who covers the cost (if applicable). The aim is to facilitate a cross-national comparison of the main features of restructuring-related legislation.
Eurofound aims to keep this information up to date and accurate. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them. However, Eurofound accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever with regard to the information in this database.
This Eurofound research paper explores key trends in restructuring in recent years, highlighting the companies that announced the largest job losses and job gains in the EU. It builds on an analysis of company announcements recorded in Eurofound’s European Restructuring Monitor (ERM), alongside a new classification of restructuring events involving changes in company location.
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Employers increasingly use tools such as email, SMS and messaging apps like WhatsApp or Signal to communicate with employees. While these technologies offer both efficiency and convenience, their use in communicating sensitive information, particularly for notifying employees of dismissal, raises legal concerns. This article explores the legal framework on dismissals across the EU, with a special focus on the use of digital means for communicating employment dismissals. Drawing on examples from various Member States, it examines the legal validity of digital dismissals.
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In 2023, thousands of workers in big tech lost their jobs. Meta, Amazon, Google, Apple, Microsoft and Salesforce had been considered to offer good and secure jobs up to this point. Giants of the information and communication technology (ICT) sector, these companies are among the highest paying, with Eurostat data from 2022 indicating that workers in ICT had the second-highest median gross hourly earnings (surpassed only by earnings in the financial sector).[1] These layoffs were a shock, especially as the biggest companies had hired extensively during the COVID-19 pandemic. What happened in the two years after this redundancy wave – was that the end of the cuts or did the companies start expanding again?
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In 2024, the automotive sector in the EU came to the fore in public and policy discussions. The focus was on the slowdown in electric vehicle (EV) sales, rising global competition, belated investments in new technologies, and the potential closure of production lines in Europe. A number of European car manufacturers and suppliers announced their intention to make large-scale redundancies and change long-standing collective agreements on job security and wages, while workers raised concerns amid demonstrations and industrial action.
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